Flotation cell line

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a flotation cell line, wherein there are installed, in order to treat the flotatable material, several flotation cells so that the flotatable material can be set to flow through the flotation cell line. According to the invention, the flotation cells (,  1, 2, 3, 4, 5; 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 ) that are arranged successively in the flowing direction ( 22, 52 ) of the flotatable material, are at least partly installed in parallel with respect to each other.

The present invention relates to a line formed by cells used in thetreatment of flotatable materials, in which line the cells are installedwith respect to each other, so that at least one cell can be withdrawnfrom the process without essentially deteriorating the operation of theflotation cell line.

In a flotation cell, there are treated slurry-like materials in order toremove from the rest of the material the desired ingredients that can beutilized. The main task of the flotation cell is to keep the flotatablematerial in suspension, to feed air into the suspension and to dispersethe suspension into small air bubbles, as well as to conduct theutilizable ingredients, i.e. the concentrate, and the rest of thematerial, to separate locations. However, with respect to the recoveredconcentrate, the efficiency of the flotation cell is essentially low.Consequently, in order to achieve the desired degree of concentrationfor the utilizable ingredient, the flotation cells are usually coupledin series, so that the waste from the preceding flotation cell serves asthe feed for the successive flotation cell. The concentrates obtainedfrom the cells of the accordingly created flotation cell line are thencombined and conducted to further treatment.

In a conventional flotation cell line, the cells are coupled in serieswith respect to each other, so that the whole flotation cell line mustbe stopped and production interrupted even in a case where only one cellin the flotation cell line needs repairs or maintenance. Because thecapacity of the flotation cells as such has increased, and becauserespectively the number of parallel flotation cell lines has decreased,the relative capacity share of each flotation cell line becomes large.When this type of a flotation cell line must be stopped, for instance inorder to maintain or repair one cell in the line, the procedureremarkably cuts the degree of utilization of the flotation process, andthus causes high extra expenses for the process.

The object of the present invention is to eliminate some of thedrawbacks of the prior art and to achieve an improved flotation cellline, where the withdrawal of one flotation cell from the line does notcause any essential changes in the operation of the flotation cell line,and whereby it is possible to reduce the space needed for the flotationcell line. The essential novel features of the invention are apparentfrom the appended claims.

According to the invention, the flotation cell line is formed offlotation cells, which are provided with inlet and outlet apertures forthe flotatable material, so that the flotatable material can beconducted from a flotation cell to at least two flotation cells that arelocated in succession to said flotation cell, when seen in the flowingdirection of the flotatable material. Thus the flotatable material canbe conducted alternatively either to the cell in the flotation cell linethat is located next in the flowing direction of the flotatablematerial, or past the cell located next in the flowing direction, to atleast one cell following in succession in the flowing direction of theflotatable material. In case the cell in question is the cell that islocated last but one in the flowing direction of the flotatablematerial, the flotatable material can only be conducted to the last cellor to further treatment after the flotation cell line. Moreover, whenfeeding the flotatable material to the flotation cell line, the materialcan be fed either to the cell located first in the flowing direction ofthe flotatable material, or past the first cell to the cell locatedsecond in the flowing direction of the flotatable material.

When the flotatable material, according to the invention, is conductedpast that cell in the flotation cell line that is located next in theflowing direction of the flotatable material, the flotatable materialcan in the flotation cell line be further conducted, irrespective of theflotation cell that is withdrawn from usage, so that the flotation cellline still can be used in the treatment of the flotatable material.Moreover, in a flotation cell line according to the invention, theflotation cells are installed at least partly in parallel, so that spacecan advantageously be saved in the flowing direction of the flotationcell line, and simultaneously the interval between two flotation cellsis reduced, when the flotatable material is conducted past the cell thatneeds repairs or maintenance.

In the flotation cell line according to the invention, the cells areinterconnected by means of conduits, so that in the outlet aperture ofthe cell, or in between the cells, there is installed a flow controlmember, which guides the flotatable material to the feed inlet of thecell that is located next in the flowing direction of the flotation cellline, or alternatively to the feed inlet of the cell that is locatednearest to the next cell. Advantageously the number of inlet and outletapertures of the cells provided in the flotation cell line is one ortwo. However, a larger number can also be applied, when desired. In theflotation cell line according to the invention, the number of the inletand outlet apertures of individual flotation cells can alter, in whichcase different types of flotation cells can be combined in a flotationcell line.

According to the invention, when using both two inlet and two outletapertures in the cells of the flotation cell line, the passage of theflotatable material either to the next cell or to the conduit passingthe next cell is controlled already in the flotation cell itself, bykeeping one outlet aperture and the inlet aperture provided in thereceiving flotation cell open by means of the flow control members, sothat the flotatable material flows from one cell to another.

The passage of the flotatable material from one flotation cell to thecell located next in the flotation cell line, or past the next cell, canalso be arranged so that the flotatable material is discharged throughthe same outlet irrespective of the fact whether the flotatable materialpasses to the next flotation cell or to the conduit passing the nextcell. Now the flow control member of the flotatable material isinstalled outside the flotation cell, in the conduit connecting thecells. When using only one outlet in the flotation cell, it is possiblein the next receiving flotation cell to use either one or two inlets,because the flotatable material conduit meant for the passing of oneflotation cell can be connected either to that conduit piece whichprovides for the flotatable material a direct contact between twosuccessive flotation cells, or the conduit can be connected directly tothe flotation cell as a separate inlet aperture.

In the flotation cell line according to the invention, the cells thatare located successively in the flowing direction of the flotatablematerial are installed at least partly in parallel with respect to eachother. Thus the distance of the first and last cell in the flotationcell line, when seen in the flowing direction of the flotatablematerial, is reduced, and the flotation cell line as such takes up lessspace than a conventional flotation cell line. Now also the distancebetween a cell and the cell located next in succession, when seen in theflowing direction of the flotatable material, is essentially reduced.Likewise, the conduit arranged between a cell and the cell located nextin succession, when seen in the flowing direction, also is essentiallyshort and easily installed in place. The distance proceeded by theflotatable material in the flotation cell line remains essentially thesame as in a conventional flotation cell line, in case the flotatablematerial passes via all cells in the flotation cell line, but saiddistance is essentially shortened, in case the flotatable material isconducted past one or several flotation cells.

The invention is explained in more detail with respect to the appendeddrawings, where

FIG. 1 is a schematical top-view illustration of a preferred embodimentof the invention, and

FIG. 2 is a schematical top-view illustration of another preferredembodiment of the invention.

According to FIG. 1, the cells 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the flotation cellline that are located in succession in the flowing direction 22 of theflotatable material, are installed partly in parallel with respect toeach other, so that between the flotation cells 1 and 3, there isinstalled anduit 6, wherethrough the flotatable material can, whennecessary, be conducted past the flotation cell 2. Respectively, aconduit 7 is installed in between the flotation cells 2 and 4 in orderto conduct the flotatable material, when necessary, past the flotationcell 3. Moreover, there is illustrated a conduit 8 which is installed inbetween the flotation cells 3 and 5 in order to conduct the flotatablematerial past the flotation cell 4.

In the flotation cell line according to FIG. 1, the flotatable materialis fed by means of a feeding device 9. The feeding device 9 is connectedboth to cell 1 and 2 by means of the conduits 10 and 11. In case thecell 1 is withdrawn from use, the flotatable material is fed directly tothe cell 2 via the conduit 11. Normally the flotatable material fed intothe flotation cell I is conducted in the flotation cell line via anoutlet 12 to the flotation cell 2. In case the flotation cell 2 shouldbe passed by, the flotatable material is conducted, via an outlet 13, tothe conduit 6 and further to the flotation cell 3. In addition, theflotation cell 2 is provided with outlets 14 and 15 in order to conductthe flotatable material to the flotation cell 3, or past the flotationcell 3 via the conduit 7 to the flotation cell 4. Respectively, theflotation cell 3 is provided with outlets 16 and 17 in order to conductthe flotatable material either to the flotation cell 4 or via theconduit 8 directly to the flotation cell 5. The outlets 18 and 19 of theflotation cell 4 guide the flotatable material either to the flotationcell 5 or via the conduit 20 directly out of the flotation cell line andto further treatment. On the other hand, the flotation cell 5 includesonly one outlet 21 in order to conduct the material, fed into the cell 5and flotated therein, to the same material flow with the material thatis possibly obtained from the conduit 20.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 2, the cells 31, 32, 33, 34 and 35of the flotation cell line that are located in succession in the flowingdirection 52 of the flotatable material are partly installed in parallelwith respect to each other, so that the flotation cell 31 is connectedto the next flotat ion cell 32 and to the flotation cell 33 successiveto cell 32 by means of a conduit piece 37 connected to the outlet 36.The conduit piece 37 comprises a flow control member 38 for controllingthe flotatable material flow, which guides the flow alternatively eitherto the flotation cell 32 or, when desired, to the flotation cell 33.Respectively, in the outlet 39 of the flotation cell 32, there isconnected a conduit piece 40 provided with a flotatable material flowcontrol member 41 for guiding the flow either to the flotation cell 33or, when desired, to the flotation cell 34. Moreover, the conduit piece43 connected to the outlet 42 of the flotation cell 33 is provided witha flotatable material flow control member 44 for guiding the flow eitherto the flotation cell 34 or, when desired, to the flotation cell 35. Onthe other hand, the flotatable material flow control member 47 providedin the conduit piece 46 connected to the outlet 45 of the flotation cell34 guides the flow either to the flotation cell 35 or via the conduit 48out of the flotation cell line. From the flotation cell 35, the materialflotated in the flotation cell line is conducted, via the conduit 49, toone and the same material flow with the material possibly obtained fromthe conduit 48.

According to FIG. 2, the feeding of the flotatable material to theflotation cell line is carried out so that the material supplied fromthe feeding device 50 is conducted to the flotation cell 31, or thematerial can also be fed directly to the flotation cell 32 via theconduit 51.

What is claimed is:
 1. A flotation cell line comprising at least first,second and third flotation cells each having an inlet means forreceiving feed material to be processed in the flotation cell and anoutlet means for discharging waste material from the flotation cell,wherein the inlet means and outlet means are connected so that in afirst configuration of the flotation cell line waste material from theoutlet means of the first flotation cell can be supplied as feedmaterial to the inlet means of the second flotation cell and wastematerial from the outlet means of the second flotation cell can besupplied as feed material to the inlet means of the third flotation celland in a second configuration of the flotation cell line the secondflotation cell is by-passed and substantially all feed material suppliedto the inlet means of the third flotation cell is waste material fromthe outlet means of the first flotation cell.
 2. A flotation cell lineaccording to claim 1, wherein the outlet means of the first flotationcell comprises first and second outlets and the flotation cell linecomprises a first conduit connecting the first outlet of the firstflotation cell to the second flotation cell, a second conduit connectingthe second outlet of the first flotation cell to the third flotationcell, and a third conduit connecting the outlet means of the secondflotation cell to the third flotation cell.
 3. A flotation cell lineaccording to claims 2, comprising flow control means for directing wastematerial from the first flotation cell selectively to the first conduitor the second conduit.
 4. A flotation cell line according to claim 1,comprising a conduit structure including a first conduit connected tothe outlet means of the first flotation cell, a second conduit connectedto the inlet means of the second flotation cell, a third conduitconnected to the inlet means of the third flotation cell, and a flowcontrol member having a condition in which it allows material to flowdirectly from the first flotation cell to the third flotation cell.
 5. Amethod of operating a flotation cell line comprising at least first,second and third flotation cells each having an inlet means forreceiving feed material to be processed in the flotation cell and anoutlet means for discharging waste material from the flotation cell,said method comprising, in a first mode of operation, connecting theinlet means and outlet means so that waste material discharged from theoutlet means of the first flotation cell is supplied as feed material tothe inlet means of the second flotation cell and waste materialdischarged from the outlet means of the second flotation cell issupplied as feed material to the inlet means of the third flotationcell, and, in a second mode of operation, connecting the inlet means andoutlet means so that the second flotation cell is by-passed andsubstantially all feed material supplied to the inlet means of the thirdflotation cell is waste material discharged from the outlet means of thefirst flotation cell.